South AfricaZA

Article 57 of the Constitution of South Africa

Article
57
Chapter
CHAPTER 4 — PARLIAMENT
Index row title
(1) The National Assembly may—
Source document
The South Africa Constitution
Provision ID
99451fb8-a678-4bef-97be-dd0d5238935e

138 words

Verbatim text

(a) determine and control its internal arrangements, proceedings and procedures; and (b) make rules and orders concerning its business, with due regard to representative and participatory democracy, accountability, transparency and public involvement. (2) The rules and orders of the National Assembly must provide for— (a) the establishment, composition, powers, functions, procedures and duration of its committees; (b) the participation in the proceedings of the Assembly and its committees of minority parties represented in the Assembly, in a manner consistent with democracy; (c) financial and administrative assistance to each party represented in the Assembly in proportion to its representation, to enable the party and its leader to perform their functions in the Assembly effectively; and (d) the recognition of the leader of the largest opposition party in the Assembly as the Leader of the Opposition. Chapter 4: Parliament Privilege

What this means

  • The index files this text under article 57 of the Constitution of South Africa.
  • The index files it under the chapter heading “CHAPTER 4 — PARLIAMENT”.
  • The passage runs to about 138 words.
  • Read plainly, it mentions assembly and association — it protects gathering together or joining a group, union or party (the words used: “Assembly”).

The row’s stored title is a body fragment, not a heading (“(1) The National Assembly may—”), so it is not used as the provision’s title here.

The index gives this passage an article number but stores a body fragment where a heading would be, so the number could not be cross-checked against the text. Check it against the official Constitution before relying on it in a citation.

This is a mechanical reading aid generated from the text above by matching words in it. It is not legal advice, not a lawyer’s interpretation, and not a substitute for the provision itself.

How to cite this

Constitution of South Africa, article 57, Portable Lawyer, https://www.portablelawyer.app/provision/99451fb8-a678-4bef-97be-dd0d5238935e (accessed 25 October 2026).

Canonical URL: https://www.portablelawyer.app/provision/99451fb8-a678-4bef-97be-dd0d5238935e

Accessed 25 October 2026.

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